In the coming weeks I will try to interview some of the members of the East Lansing New Horizons Music (NHM) family. The basic idea behind NHM is that it is a place for ordinary people to play music together for the fun of playing. It is not a professional musical organization though we comport ourselves in a professional manner with respect towards all the musicians and guests that participate in and support our musical endeavors. We are amateurs that enjoy playing music and want to share that enjoyment with others by encouraging them to participate with us by playing or enjoying a performance in the community. If you are interested in joining our group please contact the MSU Community Music school or continue reading on this site to get more information. NHM: Tell me a little about your background. Where you call home. Daniel: I grew up in Lansing and for all but a few years when I went to Wisconsin for graduate school, I have spent most of my time in the mid-Michigan area. I always enjoyed music as I grew up and participated in the music programs in school when they were available with the one regrettable exception that I did not play in High School because an orchestra was not offered. I started playing my current instrument, Alto Saxophone, after I graduated high school because when I was in Junior High I had heard someone play the sax and I really liked the sound. I took lessons for a little over a years until my teacher moved away then I stopped playing because there were no real outlets for playing for a beginner and I was getting busy with my college classes and work. NHM: What did you study in school. Daniel: I think the better question is what didn’t I study. I started out at MSU wanting to do something in science - biology. But I didn’t like the way classes were taught so I switched to Math for a semester but wasn’t very good so switched to English then dropped out of school for a semester but couldn’t find a good job so went back to biology then tested theater for a semester (really out of character for me) before starting botany. Then I talked to an advisor and she said there was no future in botany so I took classes in microbiology. By this time I had accumulated enough credits to graduate but I hadn’t taken enough core classes in any major to complete my degree so as a senior I took a couple of 100 level biology classes to get my BS. During that last year though I discovered that I really liked microbiology and ended up spending an additional year taking classes to get a second BS in microbiology and public health. Then I went to Wisconsin and got an MS in bacterial genetics. Finally I came back to Michigan State and completed my graduate work in Botany and Plant Pathology but my focus of research was in plant molecular biology. NHM: What drew you to your instrument in the New Horizons Band? Daniel: I think everyone has a sound that attracts them. Saxophone to me has an enticing sound that gives me a chill down my spine when I hear it played well. Although I appreciate the various genres that have adopted the saxophone, I really love the sound of classical sax, especially when performed by saxophone ensembles. NHM: Do you have any future goals musically? Daniel: I want to continue improving on my instrument to try to get a closer match of the sound of the instrument that I am playing to the sound in my head. Last year I did a 100 day practice challenge on my other instrument I’m learning to play, the violin, and saw some improvement so am planning on a similar challenge on the sax this spring. NHM: A 100 day practice challenge can be, well, challenging. What other activities keep you busy? Daniel: When I do the challenge, I think I will do it a little more relaxed than I did last year - meaning, if I miss a day because of work, travel or if I get sick, I am going to allow skip days and not feel guilty about it. I do have a pretty busy schedule because I work full time at MSU in the Potato Breeding and Genetics lab as the lab manager and heading up or assisting on several research projects. I also am co-owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited nature shop in East Lansing and while my sister manages all the day to day operation, I try to help when I can and deal with some of the financial management side of the business. My wife and I also have two kids in East Lansing schools that need driving around all the time so I add chauffeur to my list of job duties and homework supervisor and all the other things that go with being a parent. But music is my escape that helps me relax when everything else is going crazy. NHM: Thank you for answering my questions. Good luck on the practice challenge, maybe we can follow up later. Daniel: Thank you and keep up the good work on your website. I hope it encourages lots of people to try and enjoy playing music.
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Wishing everybody Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year. Here is a short old timey banjo tune named Old Christmas Morning that I hope you enjoy. |
AuthorDaniel Zarka Archives
March 2019
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